I have a 3.62 gpa but have not taken any AP or honors classes because I get stressed out and overwhelmed easily.I took the SATs and got a 1850.The only extracurricular I have done is volunteering at a food pantry because I am not athletic and didnt really want to spend more time at school than necessary so I didn’t join any clubs.Is there any colleges that I could get into that won’t look down upon me not taking any hard classes and my lack of extracurriculars?I am so angry at myself that I didn’t, but I know that I couldn’t handle them so I guess I should just be happy that I am graduating high school.I’m the embarrassment of the family and don’t want to disappoint my parents even further.
Yes you have lots of great things to look forward to. Your SAT score is in the top 13% and you have good solid grades.
Its just a question of what part of the country, what you want to study and what size school you like. Things like that.
Yes. ^ Also, do you want to go to a LAC or university? What is your budget…are you full pay or do you need financial aid? Will your family qualify for financial aid?
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your stats are fine for acceptance at many schools.
So, what exactly are you asking? You sound like most of the kids who go to state schools, even most of the flagship ones, or many private colleges too. The only thing that would be difficult to get into are the top 10 or so state schools (Michigan, Berkeley, UCLA, UT-Austin) or top 30 or so private ones, but many other places like Michigan State, UCSF, UT-Dallas, Kansas, LSU, Kalamazoo College, Hillsdale, etc. would be perfect for you. That excludes only about 50/3000 colleges. Just check your top 2 or 3 state schools and see what they offer, or another path is to go to CC for 2 years and then transfer to the flagship or private school. (Much cheaper too!) If you can afford it, or even if you cannot, look at private too, many have financial aid.
Many students continue on to the top graduate and professional schools as well.
Maybe look as other career paths (like skilled trades) if school does not interest you. Some software developers pull down >200K/yr with no degree.
Sometimes it takes a little longer to grow up, and with perseverance you will do fine. What will disappoint your parents if you don’t do the very best that you can.
I don’t think I have a chance anywhere because I haven’t taken any AP classes.I would be fine in any part of the country just nothing too rural and within an hours drive of an airport.I have no idea what I want to study,I know what I don’t want to.I don’t like bio,physics,gov,english or economics.I am pretty good at math and am ok at science but history and english are a definite no.I think I would prefer a smaller school with a maximum of 10,000 people.I am full pay and wouldn’t qualify for any financial aid or wouldnt get any merit aid probably.
Check out Rose Hulman.
Use one of the college search engine. No. You won’t be able to attend a top 20 school, but if your parents are willing and able to pay your full COA, then you are very fortunate and have plenty of options.
Don’t be so hard on yourself. There are plenty of kids with worse grades/test scores than you that go to fine schools and go on to have successful lives. You would probably a solid candidate for most state schools.
Where do you live?
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I would be fine in any part of the country just nothing too rural
and within an hours drive of an airport.
I have no idea what I want to study,I know what I don’t want to.
I don’t like bio,physics,gov,english or economics.
I am pretty good at math and am ok at science
but history and english are a definite no.
I think I would prefer a smaller school with a maximum of 10,000 people.I am full pay
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What about something like accounting?
Or Management Information Systems?
Anyone know if any of the Colleges that Change Lives are in “not rural” areas? Would any of those be good for this student?
are you male or female?
I PROMISE YOU…you are NOT hopeless. We will find colleges that will accept you and will work for you.
You are actually in a very good position regarding colleges. Many would like to have you as a student. If The Colleges That Change Lives schedules a college fair in your area, I recommend attending just to hear the presentation. The director gives a very good speech for students like you, showing then that they are who colleges seek.
As for possibilities, check out University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Willamette in Salem, Oregon. My daughter liked UNC Asheville. See if they look interesting to you. If not, then say why not and everyone can giver other suggestions.
OP, where do you live? That would help, in finding some appropriate public schools in your state, or in neighboring states.
As for CTCL schools - Goucher College is in Towson MD, just outside Baltimore, and it’s not so selective, I think.
Whittier College is in Los Angeles.
Guilford College is in Greensboro NC, which I think is a college town.
In searching for my D, we came across these small private schools that are also not too selective and use holistic admissions:
Hamline University in St. Paul MN
Augsburg College in Minneapolis MN
Elmhurst College, in a near suburb of Chicago IL
Augustana College in Rock Island IL
Wittenberg University in Springfield Ohio
If you could tell us the state you live, again, that would help find you a public school, which may be more affordable.
What about any of the Catholic univs?
Seton Hall
UDayton
Saint Louis U
Loyola Maryland
Stone Hill
Fairfield
Xavier
University of San Francisco
St Mary’s of California
Loyola Marymount
DePaul
John Carroll
Gonzaga
or any of the many, many others.
You say that you’re “full pay”. does that mean that your parents will pay $55k+ per year?
Southwestern University is in Georgetown,TX, a community just north of Austin. I think Southwestern is quite generous with merit money. The OP would likely be a reasonable candidate based on the SAT ranges for admitted students.
Southwestern is a CTCL school.
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I’m the embarrassment of the family and don’t want to disappoint my parents even further.
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What is this about?
I may be reading too much into this, but this sounds like maybe your parents or siblings went to “top schools” or “well-known schools”…and maybe had higher stats? So, maybe they (and you) think that you can’t get into somewhere that you (and they) can be proud of?
I’m certain that if that’s what’s going on, we can lead you to a school that you and your family can be “proud of.”
I’m guessing that the school needs to be one that they’ve “heard of”?
If I’m off-base, please clarify so we can best help you.
@hopeless4444 Please come back. We’re worried about you.
@mom2collegekids yeah the whole prestige and well-known college thing is a huge problem in my family.Everyone in my family went to really good schools and I do not know anyone who went to a unknown college as stupid as that sounds.I feel like my life will be a disaster if I don’t go to a good college because that is all that my family has been preaching,how important going to a good college is.They went to U Chicago,Oberlin,UNC-Chapel Hill,Boston College,Babson,Kenyon,UC Berkley,UCLA,USC,MIT and Tufts.I know I wont get in to anywhere as selective as those so it really stresses me out.The college doesn’t necessarily to be well known but as long as they think I am getting a quality education.
I don’t know about the accounting major because the finance field seems really competitive and cut throat and I just want a stable simple job that I enjoy.
I researched Budget Sound,UNC Asheville, and Willamete but they seem very outdoorsy but I am not that into the outdoors.I have gone hiking in Utah which I liked but not that much more than that.I am fine with the liberal aspect of the schools but I wouldn’t feel comfortable at Reed or Oberlin.
Accounting and finance/econ are two very different things. I know a ton of accountants that have exactly what you are talking about, solid, good paying, stable jobs and they work in just about every industry, private practice and government setting imaginable. Competition in private accounting practice to be a partner at a Big Four accounting firm is cutthroat, but that is a far rarer career path than most accountants take.
It sounds like you are looking in the NC area, which has a ton of interesting, smaller schools. Even though we are in PA, I think a quarter of my D’s senior class has one NC college or university or another atop their lists. It sounds like you really haven’t found your passion yet, which is completely and utterly normal for your age. You are just starting to explore things and look around, trust in yourself, you will find what you are looking for.
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They went to U Chicago,Oberlin,UNC-Chapel Hill,Boston College,Babson,Kenyon,UC Berkley,UCLA,USC,MIT and Tufts.I know I wont get in to anywhere as selective as those so it really stresses me out.The college doesn’t necessarily to be well known but as long as they think I am getting a quality education.
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Ok…that’s what I thought.
Still…not a problem. You can get into a “good school” that you can be proud of, too. 
Accounting and MIS aren’t “cut-throat”…they’re NOT finance. Finance is totally different, high stress, sometimes Wall-Street sort of thing. don’t worry, we’re not suggesting finance for you.
I think you should look into MIS or Accounting. I know many people who prefer to “stay in the background” that like those type of jobs.
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I have a 3.62 gpa but have not taken any AP or honors classes because I get stressed out and overwhelmed easily.I took the SATs and got a 1850.T
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I see that you have a family member that went to Boston college. Does that mean that Catholic and Jesuit schools are ok? If so, there are a bunch. did you look at the partial list that I posted upthread? I’m sure that a whole bunch would accept you.
Below is the list I posted upthread…
What about any of the Catholic univs?
Seton Hall
UDayton
Saint Louis U
Loyola Maryland
Stone Hill
Fairfield
Xavier
University of San Francisco
St Mary’s of California
Loyola Marymount
DePaul
John Carroll
Gonzaga
or any of the many, many others.
there are so many more Catholic and Jesuit colleges and univs. Really, only a SMALL handful would not accept you. The majority would.
In the above list, I think they’d all be either matches or safeties, except maybe SLU would be a reach. Really, the majority would accept you.
How about teaching? Is there a favorite subject? Or would teaching be too anxious-making for you?
Let’s start with finding some safeties for you, maybe some with Rolling Admissions, so that you can relax once you have a safety acceptance or two in your pocket.
Do you have a geographic region you prefer?
What about Pace, in NYC? Eckerd in St. Petersburg, FL, is probably a good fit. I second Guilford and Whittier. My friend’s daughter is very happy at Whittier, and her parents are both Stanford grads.You also might have a decent chance at Temple, which is a big, diverse, urban university.
I hope the OP chimes back in.
I want to know what region she is from. I’m thinking that it may be best that she not be too far from home…maybe no more than a few hours, if possible.